Computers connected to networks are exposed to potentially
damaging access by unauthorized "hackers". Protecting sensitive
data and providing a stable computing environment for academic
work is a priority in the School of Earth Sciences.

The prime method for a hacker to compromise your computer is to trick you
into running a program that lets him in!

"Phishing" attacks send an official looking email requesting your
account or personal identity information to solve a problem or
prevent supposed account closure.
Never respond to these email requests for your account
password or personal identity information. They are always a hoax.
Legitimate organizations
will never request that information by email.

Other "phishing" attacks send emails with links or attachments promising
something interesting or important to look at, but in reality, clicking
the link or opening
the attachment runs a program that probes your computer for weaknesses
so the hacker can take control of it.
Never follow links or open attachements in unexpected emails,
even if they appear to be from a friend or colleague.
Check first if that person really sent it.

Poorly managed websites get infiltrated
by hackers who plant little javascript programs that run automatically
when you visit the website. The use of a script blocker, such as the
Noscript plug-in
for the
Firefox browser,
is recommended to prevent
these invisible scripts from running when you browse the web.

Peer-to-peer file sharing programs such as Napster, Kazaa, Grokster,
Gnutella, Limewire, and Bittorrent are notorious vectors for hacker
compromises of computers. Distribution sites for the programs
themselves and files that are distributed are often "contaminated"
by hackers with their own malicious programs, that "ride along" and
infect your computer while you are downloading files. In addition,
these peer-to-peer file sharing programs often expose files on your
computer, including those containing identity information, to anyone
on the internet. Peer-to-peer file sharing programs should never be
installed on Stanford-owned computers and you are strongly discouraged
from using them on personally owned computers.

Hackers also probe computers on the network looking for known bugs in the
operating system, insecurely configured
services, and weak passwords.
All computers connected to the Earth Sciences network
must
implement a basic set of security configurations, including
anti-virus software and
automatic security patch installation, using the
Stanford Network Registration Tool,
which is normally run when you
register your computer for network access.

Hacker break-ins and compromises of personal computers running
various versions of Microsoft Windows have been common
on the Stanford campus in the past, before serious attention was
paid to improving security.
For example, 7000 PCs were compromised in August, 2003, including 70 in Earth
Sciences; hundreds more in March, 2004, including 30 in Earth Sciences;
17 in Earth Sciences in August, 2005; and
another five in Earth Sciences in September, 2006.
The Stanford Network Registration Tool now implements all basic Windows
security settings and checks, including anti-virus, and hacker compromises
are now rare, except for the occasional person who succumbs to the lure
of a phishing attack (see above).
If you want to know more, see our general advice on how to
secure Windows PCs against hackers.

So far, Apple computers running Mac OS X have generally been immune
to hacker break-ins. To help keep it that way,
when registering Macs on our network,
the Stanford Network Registration Tool does basic checks on
password strength;
configures Apple
Software Update
to check automatically for new system updates;
and installs the Stanford site-licensed
Sophos Anti-Virus
program (if no other anti-virus program is detected).

Unix and Linux systems generally offer many network services and are vulnerable
to hacker break-ins unless properly configured and maintained with
security patches.
For example, numerous Linux workstations in Earth Sciences research groups were
compromised in the summer of 2006 because their users were not
installing system software patches.

The Stanford University Information Security Office
provides a good website addressing computer security issues. The
Secure Computing
site is aimed at computer users and system managers, and provides instructions
and links to tools for proactive security.